THE Northern Echo has spoken to the key riders who will be looking to make their mark in this weekend’s MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship. Here are their thoughts ahead of the action.

Shane “Shakey” Byrne (HM Plant Honda)

“I AM sure it is going to be a tricky weekend because Croft is one of those circuits that can be difficult to find a good set-up,” said the current championship leader. “But that said, we have another test before we go to Croft to try to make some further improvements so we can try to get it right from the start when we get out in free practice on Friday.

“I am happy to be leading the championship, but it’s early days and I still need to be up there every weekend trying to get wins and podium finishes. We only managed a fourth and a third at the last round, so we need to build on that and get back winning again.”

Stuart Easton (MSS Colchester Kawasaki)

“I TEND to have good results at Croft, so I can’t wait for the weekend,” said Easton, who is second in the standings after securing the team’s first double podium at Oulton Park.

“I have had four podiums there in the past two years, so I want to continue that form. We have a small timescale between the rounds, so there isn’t a huge amount that the team will do, but we have a few ideas of how we can set up again.

“It is the closest round for me, other than Knockhill, so I consider it to be almost a second home round and I get good support there.

“We had solid results at Oulton Park and now we don’t feel like that first win for the new Kawasaki is a million miles away. We will have to wait and see.”

Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda)

“FOR me, Croft has been a difficult track in the past, although I have won there before,” said the reigning BSB champion.

“It is a completely different track to Brands Hatch and Oulton Park where we have raced already.

“It is very bumpy, so the setting is going to be critical to be able to win.

My HM Plant Honda is better than last season already with the work we have done over the winter. We have pushed hard to fight for the wins, so I want to be on the podium and winning again at Croft.”

John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing)

“I AM feeling really confident for Croft after my first BSB win at the last round,” said the former MotoGP rider and the first American to win a BSB race.

“I did a trackday here a few weeks’ back, so I have an idea on the circuit and what is required, but I know it is going to be hard work.

“I am going out there to give it my best, as always – I just need to do everything I can for the team and stay at the front where we need to be. That’s the plan, but I know that we are capable of winning, so I will be going out to give the other guys a hard time that’s for sure.”

Michael Rutter (Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati)

“WE learnt a lot at Oulton Park, but we know that Croft is going to be another tough round,” said the rider who started his 350th race at the previous round.

“I don’t doubt it will be hard work to get the set-up right due to the demanding nature of the track. The Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati team have been working hard though to try to make improvements to move us forward, because we need to be up at the front and trying to get on the podium again.”